Double Journal Entry #5

Reverent listening is difficult to define because it is an abstract concept. Just as I listen to my students’ feelings, ideas, and struggles, the students play a vital role in reciprocating such actions. Through modeling, everyone plays a crucial role in the classroom. When everyone feels valued and listened to, the classroom becomes a safe environment filled with respect.

Students need to be heard, and it’s the teacher’s role to listen to the students; their interests and expectations are ultimately what affect the content being taught. The ways in which students respond to the instruction determines the strategies and methods needed to be incorporated to enhance motivation in the classroom. To establish a culturally responsive classroom, students need to feel understood and cared for while equally encouraged and challenged. If we can build up the students in an environment where this occurs, they will be more responsive in terms of increase of knowledge.

Some schools have what is known as a “laundry list of valued ethics” –which are character traits expected amongst faculty and students. In a recent field experience, I learned that core value to be obtained and executed by the students was Respect. Respecting means listening to one another, and although the students demonstrated this quite well, the faculty did not (at least in my opinion). I was struggling to convey my scheduling conflict to two faculty members who did not have the slightest concern with what it was I saying. They did not demonstrate culturally responsive behavior, as they ignored my concern and what it was I was trying to say.

It may be sad to say, but the teacher who I had who exhibited the traits of a reverent listener did not come along until my college career. While in his classroom, we all were respectful of him, listening carefully to what he had to say and never interrupting.  He would incorporate discussions into his lesson where he would want our feedback or for us to share a personal experience relevant to the topic. I know for me, he even used to (and still does) confront me outside of the classroom to just “check up on things”, and ever since dad has been diagnosed with cancer, this teacher still tracks me down to see how my dad is doing/feeling. He goes above and beyond to make sure I have the resources and support I need in terms of academics and in aspects of my personal life. He really does demonstrate reverent listening, and he gains it back in return.

Schools can become toxic towards reverent listening. When education leaders pursue their own goals and ignore the aspirations of others a toxic towards reverent listening is created. This toxic can affect those leaders’ peers as well as their students.

“Respect is given, not earned.” This quote fits my education philosophy because respect must be delivered in a manner where it is given and received. You cannot just wait around for someone to “earn” your respect; it can only be reciprocated when given.

The article quotes various activities, but one activity in particular that I hope to incorporate into my future classroom is writer’s workshop. Writer’s workshop is popular amongst teachers because it allows the students time to write and illustrate their own stories, which can even be presented to the class afterwards. It displays aspects of culturally responsive teaching as well as inclusive teaching and reverent listening.

Sources Rud, A.G. & Garrison, J. (2010). Reverence and Listening in Teaching and Leading. Teacher College Record 112 (11) 2777-2792. evanguilder. (Producer). (2012). Kindergarten writing workshop author chair 3 . [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPRM2ZXyrS0

Reflection

Commonly approached is a way of teaching in which literacy is taught in a way that promotes “standard English”. The focus is on “standard English” instead of acknowledgement of the various cultural aspects that pertain to the students. The subtle differences in the cultural experiences of the students seem less significant as the content’s primary focus aims to that of the reading and writing “skills” of those in power. When students are placed in an environment where there cultural differences are unacknowledged, the curriculum and the standards become very complex –which causes a wall between what defines them culturally and what tactics define them as students; this offers very little opportunity for success within the classroom. Students will become engrossed in learning literacy as their cultural differences are acknowledged, embraced, and most importantly incorporated into the strategy of learning. All of which leads to culturally responsive teaching. As cultural experiences and differences are examined and accepted. When implemented into the classroom during lessons and procedures, the environment becomes familiar to the students. It is then literacy instruction becomes personal –meaning that it is of value, aiding in the students’ information retention, engagement, and motivation.

“…literacy knowledge refers to the concepts that children acquire during their preschool years, during the years preceding the beginning of formal literacy instruction, in kindergarten and first grade, in reading, writing, and printed language,”  (Purcell-Gates, 2002).

“When teachers and schools seek out and use these funds of knowledge, Moll expects there will be rewards: They will have a better change of helping bilingual and minority children achieve authentic literacy; they will foster a sense of community; and they will bestow a much richer education than most working-class kids enjoy,” (Moll,1992).

According the article written by Bolima, cultural deficit theory “justified the belief that certain groups were intelligently inferior to others, particularly to the group in charge,” (Bolima, n.d.). This narrow-minded perception hindered students from low income families and those considered minority in terms of reading instruction. When encouraged to embrace cultural dialects while speaking and writing, teachers can create an atmosphere of acceptance where cultural differences and “standard English” can find balance.  This method far exceeds that where focus is placed on the reading and writing “skills” of those in power. As Erickson points out, the cultural difference theory "provided a way of seeing classroom troubles as inadvertent misunderstanding--teachers and students playing into each other's cultural blind spots," (Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 1987). If teachers begin to work with the students and connect with the students, their understanding of each student’s cultural background would be better understood, thereby finding success in each student upon meeting the curriculum standards while maintaining their cultural differences. Implementing a change in strategies progresses a change in literacy instruction. A shared strategy amongst classrooms, schools, and districts alike consists of a change in material. Instead of the normalized reading material, material should be selected that complements that cultural background of the students –seeing that it would ultimately spark their interest and improve their success rate. Moreover, when the material is written in a way that is familiar to the students (perhaps in the manner that they speak), it becomes easier for the students to read and understand the material. Although such means go beyond the classroom; it is equally important to involve those outside of the classroom to aid the students in homework assignments, projects, and other assignments so that the culturally responsive learning environment seems consistent amongst learning settings. This enables a cultural capital, not deficit. When teachers use “funds of knowledge”, the knowledge students gain from their families and cultural backgrounds, classrooms become more inclusive.

“For now Appalachian English studies continue at AWP. The teachers are enthused, and last year's students impress their teachers this year with their knowledge of the grammar systems of Standard English and how it contrasts with their home dialects. As time passes, Dr. Clark and the teachers at the Appalachian Writing Project in Wise, VA hope to influence teachers far beyond their small mountain community to engage their students in studies of their home dialect, contrast it with Standard American English, and learn how to demonstrate their ability to code switch in order to succeed in school and jobs,” (Epstein & Herring-Harris, 2011).

The Where I Am From project supports culturally responsive teaching in that it provides an insight to the home life and cultural background of the student. The performance the student gives at school could be a reflection of his or her cultural background, which is displayed in the project format.  When a student is allowed to share his or her personal life (and culture) in a way that is productive, a door opens for the student to become more understood by his or her peers. The way in which the project is presented forms a connection amongst the students as they begin to accept one another’s differences while finding common ground.  The project also teaches the students to see the importance and worth in where it is they came from and all of the things and people that have helped them become the individuals they are today. Everyone has a story, all stories are different…but the story that each student has is of value, and it is important for the student to understand that individually and for the class to respect that collectively.  Culturally responsive teaching can be implemented throughout the subjects of elementary curriculum, especially in Reading and Language Arts, where balance is formed between required ways of teaching and the expected output of the students based on cultural diversity.

Sources:
Purcell-Gates, V. (2002). “...As soon as she opened her mouth!” In L. Delpit & J.K. Dowdy (Eds.), The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language, culture and power.

Gonzalez, N., Greenberg, J. & Velez, C., (1994). Thanks Funds of Knowledge: A Look at Luis Moll's Research Into Hidden Family Resources. CITYSCHOOLS, 1 (1), 19-21.

Moll, L. (1992). Funds of Knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to

connect homes and classrooms. (1992). Theory into Practice, 31(2), 132-41.

 

Bolimia, D. (n.d.). Context for understanding for Educational Learning Theories Retrieved October 5, 2012: http://staff.washington.edu/saki/strategies/101/new_page_5.htm

National Council of Teachers of English (2008). National Council of Beliefs About Writing. Retrieved October 12, 2012: http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/writingbeliefs

 

Epstein, P. & Herring-Harris, L (2011).Honoring Dialect and increasing Student Performance in Standard English. Retrieved October 12, 2012: http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3655
 

 

Where I'm From Video

Where I'm From Poem

I am from open grasslands, from canned goods, and home cooked meals.

I am from the suburban house with a big white porch and golden door.

I am from the perseverance within the pedals of the unmistakable flower, the hydrangea.

I am from church services on Sunday mornings and a room full of love from Maines,  Townsends, and Nagys.

I am from the tradition of Dicarlo’s Pizza on Saturdays and a line of practical jokers.

From hearing “Time heals all” from momma and nana’s infamous line,“Because I said so…”

I am from a Presbyterian church downtown on Main Street.

I'm from Steubenville, Ohio, from Germany, and from Hungary, who eats papa’s famous Hungarian Stuffed Peppers for mom’s birthday dinner and German Chocolate Cake for dessert.

From the Christmas Eve gatherings where Uncle Rob-Rob wore his patched up flannel, the day I graduated high school, and the many cheerleading competitions I competed in, mom prepared me for, and dad supported me in.

I am from family trips to exciting theme parks in the summer and the beautiful Snowshoe Mountains in the winter. Yet, I’m just as content snuggled up with my family in the comfort of my own home. I am from a family who protects me and supports me. I am from a family where we remain faithful and true to one another and to God. I am from a family of fighters who have found beauty and strength in even the most troublesome times.